Label:
Source: Allaboutjazz - Geannine Reid
Today's jazz is a mix of culture and music; with a fresh mixing of the American song book along with American folk, R&B and pop music with the ever evolving canon of post-bop jazz. The ensemble that has taken an unusual name of Cowboys & Frenchmen found its inspiration for the band name in the short film by David Lynch, called The Cowboy and The Frenchmen. The film is a Western -but a "Lynchian" Western with a unique interpretation of a classic story genre. Similarly, according to the quintet, "the music has one foot firmly planted in a genre, while the other one is busy trying to kick down the genre's door." You've got to love a Jazz band who calls themselves Cowboys & Frenchmen. The band is comprised of five creative musicians based in the New York Jazz scene. Owen Broder on alto sax, clarinet and bass clarinet, Ethan Helm on alto sax, flute and clarinet, Chris Ziemba on piano, Ethan O'Reilly on bass, and Matt Honor on drums. Their debut project consists of eight selections, with six being originals from various band members and two being arrangements pulling from pop and folk genres.
The opening selection, "Jazz Styles" takes its time to develop, starting with Honor's cymbals and various hand percussion, the group slowly layer in, each adding a unique element to the musical mix. That is the strong point of the project, it is a group effort in every sense of the word. Each player is instrumental in the overall sound of each of the compositions and ultimately the entire musical statement. Helm and Broder continually converse through "Jazz Styles," both providing counterpoint to each other and the rhythm section. The swirling layers this group is able to build upon is remarkable and when one really listens deep into the music, the interaction is breath taking.
"King Barry," by Broder, starts with a rhythmic piano arpeggio figure that is developed by the ensemble into a swelling saxophone melody. Honor's drum coloring really gives the melody an interesting undercurrent that is something special. The tracks form is interesting and the counterpoint is natural and used in just the right spots to add to the melodic flow and lift the energy of the phrase. The fun thing about this two horn group is while the one horn player is soloing, the other will play background figures, integrating into the rhythm section. And speaking of rhythm section, Ziemba's voicings and harmonic colors a stunning. Read more...
The opening selection, "Jazz Styles" takes its time to develop, starting with Honor's cymbals and various hand percussion, the group slowly layer in, each adding a unique element to the musical mix. That is the strong point of the project, it is a group effort in every sense of the word. Each player is instrumental in the overall sound of each of the compositions and ultimately the entire musical statement. Helm and Broder continually converse through "Jazz Styles," both providing counterpoint to each other and the rhythm section. The swirling layers this group is able to build upon is remarkable and when one really listens deep into the music, the interaction is breath taking.
"King Barry," by Broder, starts with a rhythmic piano arpeggio figure that is developed by the ensemble into a swelling saxophone melody. Honor's drum coloring really gives the melody an interesting undercurrent that is something special. The tracks form is interesting and the counterpoint is natural and used in just the right spots to add to the melodic flow and lift the energy of the phrase. The fun thing about this two horn group is while the one horn player is soloing, the other will play background figures, integrating into the rhythm section. And speaking of rhythm section, Ziemba's voicings and harmonic colors a stunning. Read more...
Jazz Styles
King Barry
A Bridge Inside My Mind
Man of Constant Sorrow
Because
Brode’s Abode
More
Bells of Mindfulness
Owen Broder: alto sax, clarinet, bass clarinet
Ethan
Helm: alto sax, flute, clarinet
Chris Ziemba: piano
Ethan O’Reilly:
bass
Matt Honor: drums
